Session 9: Speciation (BM)

Sem

Lecture (80 mins) and discussion (80 mins)

Topic: What is a species and why does it matter?

Views about what species are and how they are recognized have changed considerably since the original typological concepts used by the ancient Greeks. Most recently, advances in molecular techniques have caused renewed interest in how one decides how to define species and whether this matters if the process of speciation is what is of interest. The lecture will provide an overview of species concepts and approaches to studying speciation, with emphasis on implications for conservation. The group discussion will be based on a paper from the primary literature but is designed to cover this topic more broadly.

Assigned Reading:

Hebert, P.D.N., Penton, E.H., Burns, J.M., Janzen, D.H. and Hallwachs, W. 2004. Ten species in one: DNA barcoding reveals cryptic species in the neotropical skipper butterfly Astraptes fulgerator. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 101(41):14812-14817. [doi:10.1073/pnas.0406166101]

Discussion:

You should come prepared to discuss the following issues (as well as any others that arise from reading the paper):

  1. Are species real things or just arbitrary units of classification?
  2. Is there one species definition that is better than others?
  3. Does it matter what we call things (i.e. do we need a system of classification)?
  4. How have molecular approaches changed the concept of a species?
  5. Do we have to know what a species is to study the process of speciation?
  6. For conservation purposes, what strategies should be used for naming species?